The Roundup for May 20, 2011

Slow news day, I assume because everyone’s packing up for the Rapture tomorrow. What will be awesome is that my Sunday brunch place will be sooo empty tomorrow. The Rapture gets results!

• Here are Richard Trumka’s full remarks at the National Press Club today. A lot of people are counting on him to hold to this idea of an independent progressive movement.

• The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack on a convoy outside the US consulate. It killed one Pakistani passerby.

• The lack of leadership at key financial regulatory agencies when a passel of rules have to be written under Dodd-Frank is approaching a crisis.

• All of a sudden, Tea Party Republicans representing districts experiencing tragedy from natural disasters want federal dollars in the form of emergency aid. How quickly they turn.

• WaPo checks in on Jon Tester’s race in Montana. What struck me was a line from this ad already running in the state: “Why does Senator Tester side with the big banks and not us?” Good question.

• It took Democrats all of five days to make use of Newt Gingrich’s “right-wing social engineering” comment about the Paul Ryan plan to end Medicare.

• Meanwhile, Republicans have figured out the best way to deal with town hall anger: ban cameras so nobody outside of the town hall can see them being embarrassed. They know that everyone has a camera in their cell phone these days, right?

• A judge in Nevada overruled the Secretary of State, and will allow the parties to choose official candidates for the special election to replace Dean Heller in NV-02. This probably means the end for Sharron Angle’s hopes.

• California’s unemployment rate is the lowest since August 2009. Things are definitely improving in the state, mainly due to a second tech boom and exports, and possibly a sprinkling of insourcing.

• Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s wife rented an apartment in a luxury building for her husband to stay in while his trial commences, but the building won’t let him stay there. Sounds like he’s going to corporate housing.

• Jared Bernstein coins a term – The NASTIEs (Never-A-Stinkin’-Tax-Increase-Ever).

• A representative of a nonprofit tweeted about FCC Commissioner Meredith Baker getting a job at Comcast. Comcast retaliated by dropping their funding of the nonprofit. Once the media got a hold of it, now they’re reinstating the funding.

• Still no deal in Yemen, as President Saleh continues to evade responsibility.

• Just as the Wisconsin GOP passes a voter suppression bill, we find a case of voter fraud in Wisconsin – from a GOP legislative aide.

• The Centers for Disease Control want you to be prepared in the case of a zombie emergency.